Guitarist and singer-songwriter Eric Clapton was born March 30, 1945 in Surrey, England, to a teenaged mother. He was raised by his grandmother. He began his career with the Yardbirds. He later formed Cream, then went to Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos, and the Traveling Wilburys. In 1990, his four year old son Conor fell to his death from the 53rd floor of a New York apartment, inspiring the song “Tears in Heaven.” He is a recovering drug addict since the 1990s and has founded a medical facility, Crossroads Centre on Antigua, for recovering substance abusers.
Recommended Resources
The official site of Eric Clapton contains details about the star, news and tour schedules as well as his music, videos, and photographs.
http://www.ericclapton.com/
Eric Clapton and the Crossroads Curse
Explores the fabled curse which supposedly plagues those who perform Robert Johnson's "Crossroads." That legend has Johnson making a pact with the Devil to fulfill his dreams and the curse was then passed on to all who recorded the song, including Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, and Eric Clapton.
http://crossroads.stormloader.com/claptonpage.html
Rolling Stone Artists: Eric Clapton
The music magazine's archive of Clapton interviews and news articles also contains his biography and pictures as well as videos spanning the decades of his career.
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/eric-clapton
